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Vinyl Acetate from Ethylene and Acetic Acid over Palladium-Gold
Vinyl acetate, the monomer for PVA wood glue, is made by oxidising ethylene and acetic acid together with oxygen in the gas phase, over a palladium-gold shell catalyst in steam-heated tube reactors at 150–160 °C and 8–11 bar. About 92 % goes to vinyl acetate; the rest burns. A few ppm of hydroquinone keeps it from forming explosive peroxides in air.
The picture: our diagram of reactor, condenser and column.
Advanced
Continuous
Instructions
1
1
Oxidise over palladium-gold
Oxidise over palladium-gold
Feed ethylene, acetic acid vapour and oxygen through steam-heated tubes packed with palladium-gold catalyst at 150–160 °C and 8–11 bar.
Materials for this step:
Ethylene350 kg
Acetic Acid (Glacial)750 kg
Oxygen200 kgTools needed:
Fixed-Bed Tubular Reactor
Palladium-Gold Catalyst
Gas Compressor2
2
Condense the product
Condense the product
Cool the reactor gas to condense vinyl acetate, water and unreacted acetic acid (our method). Send the unreacted ethylene back to the reactor.
Tools needed:
Condenser CoilGas Compressor3
3
Distil
Distil
Distil the vinyl acetate (boils at 72.7 °C) off the water and acetic acid (our method), and return the acid to the feed.
Tools needed:
Distillation Column Assembly4
4
Stabilise for storage
Stabilise for storage
Stir in 3–20 ppm hydroquinone; without it vinyl acetate forms explosive peroxides in air. Keep it away from flames: its vapour ignites easily.
Materials for this step:
Hydroquinone10 gTools needed:
Digital Kitchen Scale5
5
Feed per tonne
Feed per tonne
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Materials
4- 350 kgPlaceholder
- 750 kgPlaceholder
- 200 kgPlaceholder
- 10 gPlaceholder
Tools Required
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